The Pre-Mowing Tip That'll Lead To A Brighter And More Lush Lawn

A freshly-mowed lawn is always something to enjoy, as it makes everything look neat and tidy. Mowing your lawn regularly provides many benefits such as promoting healthy growth of your grass, removing weeds, and controlling pests like minimizing bothersome grub worms in your yard. If you don't want to mow your entire yard, you can plant Dutch clover, a low-maintenance grass alternative that's perfect for some rocky areas of your yard where you don't want to grow grass.

Maybe you mow regularly and follow the rule for a lush green lawn by removing only ⅓ of the lawn's height, but lately you've noticed that your grass looks uneven even after mowing. It might even look brown in some spots. If this is happening, the culprit is your mower's blades: they likely need sharpening. This is a task that is easy to forget in the day-to-day grind, but it can have a big impact on the health and appearance of your yard.

There are several ways you can tell that your mower blades need sharpening, most of them in the yard itself. Do you notice that the grass looks jagged or torn after you mow? Are the grass clippings clumping together? Do you have a harder time pushing the mower? All these things are signs that it's time to sharpen those blades. You can also look at the blades and inspect for chips, nicks, or a rounded edge.

Sharpening your mower blades will keep the mower working properly and will result in a nice, green lawn with evenly-cut grass. When you cut the grass with sharpened blades, it helps avoid fungal diseases and makes your grass healthier overall, as it's not being stressed by poor cutting. Mower blades should be sharpened or replaced at least once a year, but this can be done more often if you use the mower frequently and notice problems with your yard that would indicate a dull blade.

Before sharpening your mower blades, disconnect the spark plug wire on your gas mower to prevent the mower from being started accidentally. If you are changing or replacing electric mower blades, be sure to unplug the mower and remove batteries from cordless mowers. Additional safety gear includes gloves and safety goggles. 

To sharpen your lawn mower blades, remove the bolt that holds them and take them off. Clean the blades with a wire brush, then place the blade in a clamp with the cutting edge upwards. Use a file or grinder following the beveled angle. Once you have sharpened the blade, check the balance with a blade balancer and remove a little more metal if needed until the two sides are balanced. Once sharpened, reattach the blades to the mower and make sure they are tightened properly. Reconnect the spark plug wire and you are all set and ready to get that lush green lawn you love.